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3. Anyone have hellgrammite experiences to share?, Page 3

Anybody know how these hellgrammites can live underwater so long then when me and my dad catch them for bait...can keep them for up to a week or so and still be alive? Am i the only one who finds that odd? Also, these are absolutely by far the best smallmouth bass bait i have ever used. My dad just recently caught a 4.5 lb. bass on one, and we live in Wisconsin. Though they can be a pain in the you know what to catch...me, my brother and my dad can catch up to 50 or so each time we go out, which is about maybe 5 times a year if that. We have an excellent place to go under a bridge where there are a lot of rocks, prime place to catch hellgrammites. These things look so pre-historic, and it still wows me how much those pinchers can hurt. Is it true that these are also great for trout? Any information from anybody who has used these hellgrammites for any other kind of fish i would really appreciate.

Hey everyone they are not only good for Trout but Catfish love them too. My family and I used to go to the Colorado River twice a year. We would have about three trot lines ran across the river and would put these on them; they loved them.

Hi Zach-



I would guess that it has to do with dobsonflies having a non-aquatic pupal lifestage, which would seemingly require them to development a prepupal atmospheric oxygen respiration strategy.

Roger,

You did...n't...:) I want you to know I'm restraining myself big time here mister...Behaving myself this morning and all. Maybe Gonzo should take this one...I've caused enough trouble here lately...

I just think that they too ugly and mean to die...How about them apples?

Spence

Hi Spence,

Unless you are referring to my erroneous use if "development" rather than "develop" in the above quoted clause, I'm not sure exactly what is causing you to have to restrain yourself. Please explain.

No...Roger...That's not it...Let's just move on here, Ok? There's nothing to see except an infantile youngster in the back row turning everything he hears in to a fart joke or some-such...Sorry!

It's something at 57 I need to work through...:)

Spence

Roger,

A kid obviously posted the initial inquiry therefore your scientific response probably meant absolutely nothing to him - it meant little to me too - very few of us Forum members are so astutely informed relative to the intricacies of the river insects we try to replicate with our flies.

Hi Matt-



Would it have been better if I had simply responded, the hellgrammites you collected with your father apparently had the ability "breathe" while out of the water.

Seems to me that a good hellgrammite imitation would be to simply take an all-black Woolly Bugger, chop off most of the marabou tail (leaving maybe 1/4"), and trim the hackle to a length of 1-2 mm. Doncha think?

Jonathon

Hi Roger,

You wrote - "Would it have been better if I had simply responded, the hellgrammites you collected with your father apparently had the ability "breathe" while out of the water."

Yes!, a perfect explanation for the novice bug collector. Now even I understand!

As a kid we used to lay a net behind a rock, lift the rock and grab the hellgramites quickly before they pinch you! Ive been pinched several times some times, it did smart! we'd catch them in the net. the water was less than 12" deep and fast moving. We caught tons of smallmouths with them! I'd like to use a fly for brown trout on Oatka creek if I find a good pattern. I heard big trout like them them even in winter. I'd like to read your article on them.




Don Masten

I wrote an article on the Megaloptera (hellgrammites) in the Jul/Aug 99 issue of American Angler. Only have one copy left though.

The particular fly I introduced in that article, the UltHellgrammite, is essentially a ramped up Woolly Bugger. It accounted for more of my, and friends, largest resident small-stream browns than any other fly. My best was a 23" behemoth, and my buddy took a 22 from another smallish creek. I also used a Sialid (smaller Megalopterid also with 2-yr life cycle) mimic in winter, after pumping some from trout stromachs in the dead of winter. Both trout, and Sialid larvae inhabit pools/depositional areas in winter.

The hook I used, which in the article said was "hard to find" is only hard to find if you are not a bait fisher lol. It's the Mustad 37140 –a “Kahle”-bend baithook. Great hook with excellent holding power and strength for its wire diameter.

I think I posted something on this fly before. Will look.

Here ‘tis:
http://www.troutnut.com/topic/3237/Dobson-Fly

Oh...if you are not a tier, a regular old Woolly Bugger in black or dark brown, or better, a muddy gray -each with a large black head (permanent marker will do the trick) will work very well.

INSTARS! These Megaloptera may have as many as seven stages of growth before exiting their streambeds; that could mean a lifespan of up to seven YEARS ...? Couple this with Complete Metamorphosis ... mystery bugs ...

Pylgrym-

The larval growth (toward maturity) of aquatic insects is continual, but is restricted by the relative inflexibility of their external skeleton. So, that exoskeleton is periodically shed in order to accommodate additional larval growth. This happens (10 to 12) times in the case of corydalid larvae, whose larval lifestage duration can vary from (2 to 5) years.

I've had success with Murray's Hellgrammite pattern, sort of a Wooly-Bugger-based fly with an Ostrich herl tail. I use light brown Ostrich for the tail, since the bugs in my neighborhood tend to be more brownish than black.

Roguerat

I Peter 5:7 'Cast your cares upon Him...'

I put a hellgrammite in my aquarium, and it killed some large golden stones. Hardy little suckers